Path of Tears
by hisfoolishdaughter
Summary: Kaito, Heiji, and Conan take on the Black Organization - and they all walk out a little worse for the wear. What would happen to them to and their loved once when the climax happens? How do their lies affect their lives after the fact?
"Oi, oi," Conan muttered. Ran's eyes were glossed over as she stared at the boy in front of her. Her father wasn't present, and there was a murder to be solved. And, this young boy was speeding through it - explaining every moment to her, hoping she'd remember and be able to explain the culprit, the trick, and the complex cause of death when the cops arrived. Something caught in her throat, "Ran-neechan, I'll be right back!" He told her.

"Where do you think you're going?" She asked when she noticed he'd stopped, and that he was pulling away.

He glanced back, and he smiled for a moment - a long and hesitant moment, "Gomenasai, Ran-neechan. There's something else I have to go and handle." His hand went to his bow tie unconsciously, and her eyes widened. He flinched, took a step back, and ran.

"Shinichi?" She muttered as her eyes turned back to the body in front of her. She shook her head, often she'd come to that thought just be left with an echo - _How?_

And with that thought she left has she had for months - letting Conan be and do whatever next he was going to do. And, If he really was shinichi then she made sure to treat him just like the child he was, somehow, more than pretending to be.

Aoko Nakamori took a step back from her window. She never expected to see Kaito Kid land on her window sill like a prince landing to steal her away like another of his gem heists. Unlike the dreams she had on heist nights, when she'd be stolen away from Kuroba and her father without a chance of rescue, he was covered in blood and holding a child, "I didn't know where else to go," He told her, "Damned brat." He muttered under his breath. He looked down at the bundle in his arms, concern flooding him. He looked back up at Aoko, and she took another step back. Fear holding back her scream. Surely there was a reason-

He stepped down into her room, and she kept backing up from him. He closed the windows with one hand and covered them with the curtains so they couldn't be seen. She started to tremble. He put the boy down on the bed, and then he set his hat and his monocle beside them. He turned around.

"Kuroba?" She whispered with a sharp gasp, "BAKA." She screamed after that leading to a flurry of fists he gladly took.

There was a groan behind them, "Hattori!" Kaito gasped. He rushed to his bed side, set a hand on his forehead. The kid was burning up… The shrunken teenager?

"Kuroba!" Aoko hissed, "Why are you kidnapping children now?"

Kaito gave her a sidelong glance, rolled Hattori over onto his back again, and nervously chuckled, "It really does look like I did that doesn't it?"

Aoko raised a hand to her face, "I don't expect explanations, Kaito, but I do want to know why you showed up here and not somewhere else, wherever Kaito Kid normally vanishes off to."

"... Heeh, heh, well mom's currently back at the moment."

"And you wouldn't tell her over m-"

"He took a bullet for me, Aoko. She'd kill me for almost being killed."

Aoko stared at him in shock, "Kaito?" She whispered. Theives weren't normally shot at - not with children at the scene. Her eyes shifted to the boy lying on her bed.

They stared at the child on the bed in silence. His breath was steady. There was something wrong with the scene. Aoko looked back up at Bakaito. He had blood all over his out, but the boy…

"...He isn't bleeding, Bakaito?"

"Aoko, He also use to be this tall," He said raising his hand to slightly above his head, "I don't know what's going on either…"

Aoko raised a skeptical eyebrow, "Sure, sure he was, Bakaito."

"I'm being serious. He's the detective of the west, Heiji Hattori."

Aoko bit her lip.

"I know this is a lot to take in. You're being rather calm about it, Aoko."

"... Shock. I'll kill you soon enough."

"Oi, oi. Even Nakamori-Keibu has never been that harsh on me."

Aoko looked at him with a - a pained, vulnerable expression that he'd rarely seen on her face before.

A shiver went down his spine and he didn't bother with his poker face, "I'm sorry, Aoko," He answered looking away. He almost shoved his hands in his pocket, but remembered they were covered in blood. He took them off and slid off his coat as well, wadding it up in a bundle so he wouldn't get anything on Aoko's room. "How soon until your father gets here?"

She looked away with a pout, "I don't know what you're talking about," She answered.

"Oi, oi. I might be dressed as Kaito kid, but I'm still Kuroba. I was here when you set up the anti-kid-"

"Tsk," Aoko muttered, "Three minutes. If even."

"We'll be out by then."

"How- you just wadded up the paraglider, didn't you."

"Rather Kid and this brat will be gone by then," He muttered as he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. He looked like Kuroba. Aoko stared at him with what might have been perceived as disappointment had anyone been looking at her. He slid his monocole into his pocket, his cap in the hat and gave it a tap. The color changed and he showed her the inside of the hat. The cape had disappeared inside the generic black magician's cap. He bowed to her with the flair of an entertainer. How had he hid this for so long? She wondered. They were both such apparent brats.

"Tsk," She said again, and she would have said more if the boy hadn't moved.

"Oi, oi," Hattori muttered as he rolled over, "Keep it down in here, some of us are trying to sleep. Get a room, Shinichi."

"Shinichi?"

"... The detective of the East that disappeared," Kaito answered, "The one that managed to claim some fame before dropping off the face of the earth." He looked at her and decided not to mention the one theft they'd clashed on and raised his hands, "Not me. Just got the kaito kid as my double life. That's it. Nothing else I got to hide from you." Pandora ment poker face - she believed his lie, "Not a detective as well. Detectives are boring."

"Oh, oh? Is that so, Kid?" She asked with a sly look.

"Oi, oi, Aoko, I think by now-"

"Oh dear god, no," Hattori muttered shattering the jovial air formed from their bickering, "It wasn't a dream was it?" The young man looked down, and then he stood up. He groaned. His outfit barely stayed on him. He started patting his pockets for a phone, "Oi, oi, Kaitou kid, where's my phone?" He asked with an exasperated tone like he'd expected this to happen all along.

Kid held it out without a moment's hesitation, "Here."

Heiji looked up, and raised an eyebrow, "Didn't think you'd actually have it." He told him before grabbing the phone from him. He started dialing, "Do you think I could-" His face paled, "Nevermind. I suppose you're just as wrapped up in this as I am now..." He reached up to move his baseball cap to find empty hair, "I doubt you'd have my hat as well, huh?"

"Fell of flying here." Kaito told him. Heiji stared at him, "It was you or the hat." Kaitou responded.

Hattori sighed, "Thank you then, Kaito Kid. I never thought I'd owe you my life."

"'Just as wrapped up'?" Aoko repeated.

Kid glanced down at his watch, "3...2…" There was a clatter downstairs as Nakamori-Keibu rushed in, "You should go to him." Kid reached out to touch Aoko's face, but went to her ear last minute causing her to blush. He pulled a gem out from behind her ear and handed it to her, " _I came to return this, my lady._ " He said with a smirk. He tapped his hat over his head, and his coat and monocle were back on his face, "This is where I say, _Aidu_." He whispered gentle to her.

She hesitated a moment. They were locked in a stare. Something grabbed the back of her throat and she reached out to touch his face. _That this might be the last time_ \- she was being silly. Her eyes saw the blood drying on his coat. Maybe she wasn't - She pulled her eyes away violently and rushed down the stairs calling out to her father, stalling for Kaito, the boy she once knew…

… And, might never have the chance to know again.

Kaito looked at Heiji, and rubbed the back of his head with a gentle smile, "Time to run?"

Heiji nodded. Shinichi wasn't the only one hiding his secrets in plain sight from the ones he loved apparently, and he didn't want to be apart of this kid's mess anymore then the one that was inevitable with Shinichi and Ran. He looked at his hands as he clung to Kaito, falling out of the window riding on the wind with him. Maybe he'd have the same fate with Kazuha. Heiji laughed at the thought. Even if he just straight up told her she'd never believe it.

Kid heard him laugh, and raised an eyebrow. He knew better then to ask about that, "So where are we going?"

"You've been to the Mori detective agency before, right?" Heiji asked.

Kaito raised an eyebrow and nodded, "Walked by it a couple of times."

"Park near by there. Baika park, I think?"

"You think?"

"I'm from Osaka, Ahou!" Heiji started to cough.

"Oi, oi, you okay?"

Heiji nodded, "Surprisingly so." He muttered as Kaito's grip on him tightened.

"Are you sure we'll be fine if we show up with blood on our outfits?"

"We're meeting up with a friend. I texted them them while you were bickering with - Aoko?"

Kaito glanced down with a bit in his eyes normally hidden by his poker face. Heiji laughed, "I assure you we'll be giving you plenty of secrets to hold onto in exchange. After all I don't think we ended up in the same scene without a reason?"

The blood ran from Kaito's face, "Fair." He whispered, "Very fair."

Heiji couldn't keep his eyes open any longer, "Sorry," He muttered, "Three days stra…"

Kaito glanced down at the sleeping kid. _Why were they there?_ Kaito rolled his eyes, _Not that he could complain._ "Thanks," He muttered to the sleeping form, "Never thought I'd have to thank a small detective for saving my life."

Shinichi had managed to slip away from the organization after luring them away from the injured Heiji. He kept cursing himself. He hadn't seen Kaito Kid. He would never have guessed that that brat would be there. It was something he'd -

"It's not your fault," Haibara whispered as he paced back and forth in the park where they were meeting Heiji and Kid, "Besides, -"

"No, Ai!" He hissed, "I saw him take that bullet in the chest. There's no way he's okay."

Ai shrugged, "He's not in a hospital, Kudo-Kun. Take what you can after that show."

Conan took a deep breath. He stopped pacing, "What do you think happened?"

"Maybe it wasn't what it looked like."

"Heiji dying in Kid's arms?"

"He's alive. So, yes." Conan glared at Ai, who shrugged at his glaring, "Unless you think it was someone else that sent that text?" It was her turn to glare at him, "It could be a -"

"We had a safe word. It's him."

Ai shrugged, "He could have whispered it."

"Ai. I don't know how he's alive but-"

There was a rustle of leaves and they stopped talking.

"AHOU!" They heard a child scream above their heads before a white mass crashed to earth in front of them, barely missing them.

"Well," Ai said as Conan stared horrified at the white and bloody mess, "You're right. Heiji might not be okay after all."

"Not after that landing, I'm not!" A child yelled as he crawled away from Kid, who was busy struggling with his now broken cape.

"Not my fault there was a crow! I'm covered in your blood after all! Thought we were a meal."

"Heiji?" Conan whispered staring at the child. Ai stared as well, horrified. Her steel shell shattered for this brief moment of history.

The child turned over and looked at Kudo with a smile, "I hope you brought that extra outfit I asked for?"

Conan squinted at him and shook his head, "Might want to check that send button."

Hattori fell on his back, "'Course." He pointed at Kid, "I blame your domestic dispute."

"Oi!" Kid hissed as he threw his cape in the bushes, "Blame your child sized hands for not being able to properly be able to handle the buttons!"

"Oi, oi," Conan whispered.

"Yes?" They both hissed at him.

"Seems like these two get along beautifully," Ai muttered as she walked over to Heiji. Heiji looked at her and saw her intent glare. He squirmed.

"Hi?" He whispered.

"I thought you said he was shot in the chest, Kudo-kun."

"That's what I saw."

"Same here," Kid added suddenly feeling unneeded, "Well, um, now that you have the missing member of your -"

"Why were you there?" Conan asked. His voice bland. He looked up to the now looming Kid.

Kid swallowed but maintained a poker face as solid as Meitanti-kun's, "I always thought there was something about -"

"Answer the question, Kid. I need to know why I lost-" Conan stopped talking and squinted at Kid, "Who are you tracking?"

Kid raised an eyebrow, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Lets go back to lab," Ai said finally helping Heiji stand up, "We need to leave before sunrise. They're a mess."

"I'm leaving," Kid raised his hands, "I'm not-"

"If you want to protect Aoko-" Heiji said, adjusting his pants so he could them up a bit more comfortably.

"Leave her out -"

"We're not the ones you have to worry about messing around with her, Kid," Heiji hissed, "But, I have a feeling you already know that."

"Tsk," Kid responded, "I know I've helped before-"

"Are they trying to find immorality?" Ai whispered. Conan and Heiji stared at her in shock.

"Yes?" Kid whispered.

"Then you're an idiot if you don't come with us." Ai told him simply before she started walking away. Conan and Heiji looked at each other before following her in silence.

"Stupids kids," Kaito whispered. He followed behind them, "Even stupider Kid." He said as he ruffled his hair so it was more fluff than hat hair.

Ran sat on the couch staring at the office door. It had been hours since the murder this morning. It had been hours since Conan ran off. Hagase wasn't picking up. Neither was Conan. Or Shinichi. Which, a nagging voice in the back of her head told her, wasn't that surprising. But, neither was Hattori. Or, so Kazuha had called to tell her about. Ran had done her best to comfort her friend - tell her that it was nothing to worry about. Shinichi did that all the time - it was a detective thing. She didn't tell Kazuha about her own inability to get in contact with her detective boys. She didn't stew about how clow Hattori and Kudo - _and Conan?_ \- had seem to get within the very short time they'd known each other. She tried not to think about how if Shinichi was up to his neck in a case that it would be more than believable that he'd call up Hattori for help.

"Ran?" Her dad said breaking into her staring mode, "Ran?"

"Yes?" She snapped.

"I'm sure the kid is fine," He told her taking another swig from the fifth can of the evening, "You should go to bed before you ruin your health."

Ran glanced at her dad. At the sleeping detective… "You're right." She stood. Her fists clenched, "It will be okay." She stalked out of the reception of the main room to the bedrooms - but instead of entering hers - she snuck into Conan's room.

 _After all - You have to grab fate by the hand sometimes so it will come home safely._

She put her hand on his drawer, but only for a moment. Her hand went to her phone for the next moment. Maybe she should try one more - No. He'd had his chance. She pulled it open with a quick jerk so she couldn't second guess herself again. The drawer crashed into her leg and she bit back a cry. She saw his shirts and socks and pants. She bit her lip, and she slowly and carefully pulled out each article one at a time slowly stripping away his privacy and questioning her distrust of the boy.

Then, she saw it. She had picked up the last pair of trousers and saw the corner of an envelope. Her care vanished and she shoveled the rest of his clothing out of the drawer. There, tapped to the bottom of the drawer, was a single envelope covered with wrinkles, and what she could only presume were tear stains. She slowly peeled up the tape. The envelope flipped over, it was covering something else, but her eyes were focused on the writing the envelope had... It was addressed to her.

It - It wasn't the handwriting of a child. She choked back a sob. She shifted her focus away from the envelope in an attempt to avoid crying. She picked up what it had been covering. A picture of her and Shinichi. Her hand covered her mouth, and she gently bit one of her fingers as she flipped it over, afraid of what she'd see on the other side.

She looked away. Her knees gave out. She pulled it close to her chest, and tears burned their way down her face.

It had two words on it.

Tomorrow's Dream.

 _It was true._

She didn't make a sound as she gasped from the pain. The emotions - anger, hurt, betrayal, curiosity, anxiety, worry, contempt even - swirled like a tornado inside her. None lingered long enough for her to grab, but she felt ravaged by the damaged each one left in their wake. The tears so hot down her face poured down and watered the carpet beneath her as she wouldn't dare move. Ran was afraid. If she did then maybe on of those emotions would snag on her sleeve, caught and focused, leaving the others behind. She was afraid she'd end up with the wrong one.

The emotions left her bones tired. She could barely move, and her mind, exhausted, couldn't catch a train. She reached out, and found herself grabbing the letter with her name on it. She stared at it. Each stroke of it, perfect. Too perfect maybe? Then she noticed the last one. It wasn't. His hand had started shaking. Perhaps he'd started to question the validity of this action? Ran just stared at it, not sure what she was thinking, but there was a nag of pain in the echo chamber that was left of her heart. Slowly, her hands opened it.

She pulled out the parchment and it crinkled. She stared at. She fell backwards and laid on her back. It didn't need any more tear stains added to it. She stared at it, but not at the words, not yet. Her attentioned shifted for a moment. A week ago she'd heard Conan crying in the middle of the night. It was during midterms. Ran had ignored it. She had be certain, beyond a doubt, that she wasn't actually hearing it. It had been muffled and it hadn't lasted for long.

Obviously, it had just managed to turn down the volume.

Her mind even more numb from remembering that moment focused back on the paper. She rolled over so she was leaning on her elbows, letter and hands softly on the ground or near enough as she read it. Or, tried to.

It started with her name. Like the outside. But the first line kept her trapped.

"If you're reading this, then Haibara - then Ai - then" There were weak scratches on top of the properly written first line. She stared at it. Trying to find the next word - then her eyes drifted down a line to find the next sentence. Nothing. There was nothing on the second line either.

She sat up, stood up, turned on the light as the late summer's sun had stopped pouring into the room. Then she saw the kanji - the hastily scribbled sentence, shaken, but confident handwriting of an adult not a child struggling with their letters - "I'm dead, Ran. Move on. I -"

Ran dropped the letter. She didn't read past it, and she didn't move. She just stared at the wall in front of her. How was she suppose to respond to that?

There was a buzz in her pocket. Her brain didn't hold her hand back. She picked it up and held it to her ear, "Moshi, moshi." Her voice as void of emotion as her heart.

"Ran-neechan?" Conan's shaking voice came from the other side.

"Ah," She managed.

"Ran-neechan? Are you mad at me? I didn't call..."

Ran looked at her phone for a moment before responding, "I'm not mad."

"Ran-neechan, are you okay? You sound-"

"I'm okay."

"You don't sound like it," He didn't sound like a child. He sounded concerned. He -

"I will be."

"I - I'll be home in the morning. I'm staying the night with Hagase and Ai-chan - they made this cool experiment -"

"You're your own man, Conan. I trust you. I'll be okay without you."

"Huh?"

She closed her phone, and she stared at, "Shinichi, you idiot." She whispered. She closed her eyes.

Her phone buzzed again. She didn't know how long she'd kept her eyes closed, trying not to think. She opened her eyes. The caller id knew the caller, but she didn't. She opened her phone, took the call, and held the phone to her ear, "Moshi, moshi?" Her voice choked up.

"Ran?" It was Shinichi's voice. It was Conan's concern, "Conan texted me, said you were -"

"I'm standing in your room." Ran said cutting him off.

There was silence. They stood in silence.

"Well that's awfully rude breaking into my house-"

"I found a letter-" Ran's voice was sharp and clear when she interrupted him.

There was sharp breath. Surprise.

Silence. Shame.

"What did it say?" It was Conan's voice. Ran didn't mention it.

"You know what it-"

"Ran…. Please. I never-"

"Con- Shin- I need some time."

"Okay. Do you want me -"

"I'll tell you when I can see you again."

"... I called because there might not be a next time."

"What are you doing, Shinichi?"

"I really am working on a case."

"Apparently it's some deep shit." She whispered.

He chuckled, "Suppose you could put it that way," She could see his worried smirk on the other end trying to cover up his insecurities and pain, "Ai's coming with me on this one. I was - I was going to tell you that conan was holding onto a letter for me - that he was moving back to the states so to hold on to it for him, for me, and that if I'm not there to pick it up in a week -"

"To open it?" Ran's voice cracked.

"Un." He said with a sharp nod, "Exactly."

"I see." Her eyes picked up, "You'd be back?" She repeated.

"It's - It's a chance, Ran, but I don't know. I wanted - I wanted both of us to be prepared for the worst."

"Is this why…?"

There was silence. Ran was certain he'd nodded, but eventually, "Yeah." Was mumbled over the phone line.

"Kazuha called about Hattori. Is he with you?"

"Yes."

"Does he have a letter like this for Kazuha."

"... He's an idiot, Ran. A genuine optimist that told me not to write mine."

"Did something happen this afternoon." She phrased it like a question, but neither of them were sure if she meant it like one.

"Yeah," He told her anyways, "Something did."

"Will it break her heart?"

"Only if she's not as much of an idiot as I think she is!" Another kid shouted from across the room on the other side of the line.

Ran didn't question it. It was clearly Heiji even if was rather high and childlike, "Do you have us on speaker phone?" Ran asked. She wasn't judging. She was too emotionally tired to summon any of those.

"I'm in the same room as him. He's - uh - currently being studied…?"

"What?"

"Well. We gave him an immunity booster before we… left, but it looks like they modified the poison. So Ai is -"

"Kudo! You shouldn't be telling her all of this."

"Ai…"

"I am against it."

"Noted."

"Haibara? She sounds rather bossy."

"She normally is."

Ran couldn't hear her huff, or hear her gasp.

"Ran." Conan whispered, "Ran, he was suppose to die."

"Oi! Ahou! Don't go telling your girl about my off days-"

"No, Barou! I'm looking at the results-"

"OH. Let me see!" Heiji's voice barely reached Ran's ears.

"They modified it, like we thought, but it's fatal now. They perfected it -"

"That isn't what I had intended for it!"

"And you refuse to tell us the truth-"

"Kid?" Ran muttered, "… You know what. I'm not surprised anymore."

"Yeah. Same here," Conan agreed. His deadpan tone forced a chuckle out of her.

"Ow," Ran muttered. Too much happiness. It hurt. It wasn't even happiness, "Life is like this often then?"

Conan shrugged, "It's amazing I've kept up so far-" He stopped realizing what he was implying, "It's not that bad-"

"Yes it is," Haibara chided, "That's why I'm against telling her-"

"Oi! You were telling me about my condition," Hattori interrupted, "You can't just stop mid sentence like that- mine's only-?!"

The voices in the background faded away, "Sorry about that Ran-nee-..."

"Are we ever going to be the same?"

Conan stopped walking up the stairs from the professors basement, "I've never thought about that-"

"Shin-"

"The room might be bugged."

"Too late for that."

"You're right. I just never wanted you to call me that while I -"

"Look like this?"

"While I'm Conan."

"Shinichi Kudo," She said like she was rolling the name over her tongue, "Edogawa Conan." She said in the same way, "You know what I think?"

"What?" He asked. His voice a husk. A protective any other circumstances, under any other context she would have worried about what she'd say next. But she tired. In so many ways - and she didn't know if she'd ever talk to this man again.

"I think a rose by any other name would still be a rose - and I think a rose would smell the same even if called a -"

A sob echoed in the receiver, "I swear, Ran. I swear I'll come back. I'll stop-"

"Breaking my heart?"

There was an echo of silence on Conan's side. Those words, that dead tone, a lack of interest…

"I don't know if we'll be the same, Kudo."

Conan swallowed.

"But I also don't know if either of us will be the same person."

"Ran…"

"Come back," She choked back a sob, "Come back so I can know if I still love you."

"Ran," His voice cracked with a sob, "I have always lo-"

"Don't. It isn't fair."

He nodded, "As you wish," He whispered softly in english.

Ran smiled politely. She didn't know what that english meant.

"I'm sorry, Ran. I have to go now."

"I'll se- …"

"It's sayonara this time, Ran. Sayonara."

"Sayonara, Shinichi Kudo. I-"

There was a click on the other end.

"I'm hoping you get your dream of tomorrow, Shinichi…" She finally again choking a sob. She finally wiped the tears from her eyes. She stared at the letter that had floated to the ground. She put her phone back in her pocket, and she stumbled out of Conan's room. Her hand on the wall was the only thing that kept her up before she collapsed on her floor, barely missing her bed.

Heiji was staring at Conan sleeping on the stairs with his phone beside him. Kaito Kid stood behind him, "So who moves him? Do I move him because I'm big-" Heiji's head snapped around in a speed that surprisingly didn't give him whiplash and he glared at Kid.

"I take a bullet for you-"

"Just because I'm the thief doesn't mean I deserve your sass."

They were locked in a silent sassy stalemate, "Barou. Both of you," Conan muttered, "Did Ai just step over me?"

"Yeah," They admitted.

"Might have been stepped on," Kaito admitted.

"That would explain the pain in my hip," Conan muttered. Both of the boys winced.

"She's scary," Kid muttered.

"Tell me about it," The other two muttered.

"So," Hattori pointed at Kid, "Apparently he's after the same- "

" else would he have been there. It explains the gem heists as well. There must be one in specific that he's looking for. Why else return all of them? And only heist when there is a full moon?"

"I will have you know it's more flashy when you do it when you can be seen-"

"You're not that shallow apparently so you don't need to defend it."

"So where does that put us now?" Hattori asked as Conan took his turn to glare at the phantom thief.

"We go bac-"

"Reports of explosions in the docs, boys! Good job!"

"... We find their new location."

There was a buzz from the door, "CONAN." Ai hissed as she trummed down the stairs, "It's for you."

"Vermouth?"

"Doesn't look like her."

"So yes."

"She's probably here to finish cleaning up the mess you made. Can't believe you dragged Kaito Kid into this."

"Heist admirer?" He said with charm so smooth ever roll could have been buttered on thanksgiving.

"Not in the least.I don't need your soul on my hands as well."

Kaito blinked as she vanished into a room, "'As well? Did she just say 'as well'?" He croaked.

But the other boys were gone already.

"Well then," Kaito looked around, and he raised an eyebrow, "I suppose I'll just stay here and -"

Haibara came out of the room with a gun in her hands. She stared at Kaito Kid. He lost his poker face in this poker championship.

"What?" She said simply, "Don't tell me you were thinking of heisting here."

He didn't.

Heiji hid while Conan opened the door, "Good job, cool guy," The person at the door whispered before poking the parcel with their foot, "Your lab friend might find something highly informative in here."

"Eh?" Conan whispered.

Vermouth raised an eyebrow and smirked, "I see watching your best friend getting killed in front of your eyes means you forgot about your other friends and their parts in your scheme."

Conan's jaw slowly fell to the ground. He didn't need to say anything.

"Either way. It's gone. Your friends blew everything up and it's all gone now. Have a good life kid, tell your mom I said hi."

"... Okay."

Vermouth walked away without so much of a wave.

Haibara ran up the steps when vermouth vanished. With on Kaito Kuroba leading the way, "Open it outside," She told him with a jab of a- A GUN? Conan should have known better then to be surprised, but at this point his brain was just gone.

"Oi, oi," Kaito said raising his hands like the criminal he was, "I get it. I got it." He picked up the package, stepped out of the house, and opened it. It was a stack of files and a singular pill on top. Kuroba lifted the clear pouch with the pill in it and squint at it. "I don't think it's going to blow up, Haibara."

Ai frowned, "Conan don't get any ideas-"

"Toss it to me!" Conan eagerly jumped up and down, slowly getting closer and closer to Kuroba, who meekly threw it at the overly excited child.

"Conan! It might just be a sample-"

"It's a cure. It has to be. I know Vermouth-"

"So do I!"

"She told me to tell my mom hi. She wouldn't just try to -"

"I swear, Kudo- kun, if you don't give me at least 24 hours to verify it myself I will kill you even if it is what you think it is."

Conan looked down at his hands and the opened package. Kuroba and Conan looked at the gun in her hands. Conan looked back down at the pill, "Don't do it man." Kuroba whispered, "They already think Kudo is dead. Don't think she won't use that to her advantage."

Conan closed the pouch and held it out to Kuroba who was still holding the stack of files. Kuroba took it, "Good call, Metantai-Kun."

Conan kicked the dirt at his feet and Heiji leaned against the railing.

"Oi, Conan!" Someone shouted from the gate as Ai dragged Kuroba inside to help her.

 _Not a heist fan,_ Kuroba almost scoffed aloud.

Heiji and Conan froze. They turned to look. Kazuha stood at the gate, "Ran-chan isn't answering her phone - do you know where she is?"

"Ahou!" Heiji yelled at her, storming up to the gate, "How did you even get here! It's 3 in the morning! The trains from Osaka stopped hours ago and you're just now getting here!?"

Kazuha stared down at the brat yipping at her feet, "And just who are? A new friend of Conan's are you?"

"Heiji Hattori is the name," He said casually, She raised an eyebrow at him.

"My boyfriend has that name as name." She grumbled, "And he's the one I'm trying to chase down." She leaned down, "Now, as a cute little thing you wouldn't happen to be him now would you?"

"Ahou. How old do I look?" Heiji managed that line with a straight face, and Conan would never be able to deduce how that managed to happen.

"That's what I thought, snarky brat." She stood up stretched with a yawn, "Tho he's going to have a fit when I tell him I met a mini of him - accent and everything."

"Oh, ho ho… And does he even know he's your 'boyfriend' or are you just making up boys to haze rude children."

Kazuha stared at Heiji for a moment before pointing at him. She looked at Conan, "Sure know how to pick winners kid."

"You have no idea," He grumbled managing a more pained expression on his face, "But, Ran-neechan should be asleep now. That's why she wouldn't pick up her phone. Would you like to stay here tonight! We can see Ran in the morning together! You can share the guest room with Heiji-chan!" Conan managed the cutest smile under the assault of Heiji's eyes.

 _Heh, Have a taste of my life there..._

"Oi, oi, kudo." Heiji whispered with a hand covering his mouth, "Ai said this is temporary. I could change back at any-"

"Then it will just make it easier for her to find you. Better than her wandering around Tokyo at 4 am i would think," He hissed back with a glare.

He got a glare in return but no arguments.

Kazuha stared at them, "Um… You two are friends right?"

"I do wonder sometimes," Heiji grumbled.

Conan giggled and worked his shtick of practiced adorable deflection.

"Oi," Heiji's hand went to his heart, "You're lack of defending that fact stabs me to the heart-"

Cona stared at Heiji.

"I didn't realize - I didn't notice that in my- Lets just go inside." He grabbed Kazuha's hand and swung it like he was four, "Ne, ne -" Conan elbowed him hard in the chest. Both hands flew to his chest, "Oi, K-" He fell to his knees, and he struggled to breath.

"Heiji!"

"He's about to throw up, Nee-chan!" Conan said, "He needs to go to the bathroom!"

Kazuha got the hint and picked him up, "He's sweating buckets!" She commented as she rushed inside with him. When the light of the living room hit his face he nearly hit his back on the floor.

"You also look like Heiji," She muttered before set him beside the toilet. She started to kneel down.

"Oi, oi!" Conan started pushing her out, "Boys can't throw up in front of girls! And, he might need new clothing! Professor Hakase is in the room next door! He'll help you find something that might maybe fit him!"

"O- Okay," Kazuha managed to mutter as the door slammed behind her.

He turned to Heiji who was clutching his chest. He was staring up at Conan in shock and speechless from the thumping, burning pain.

"Yeah. _It's gonna hurt like hell._ "

"But what about the bullet wound?" Heiji managed to spit out.

"That's not genetic is it?" Conan answered with a bored expression as a method of coping.

"Lets hope you're- " Heiji's voice turned into a wordless scream.

Conan was right - and Heiji was right about Kazuha. She thought it was an elaborate prank so it ended with Conan admitting that young Heiji sneaked off to Kudo's house in the middle of the night.

Although there was a sinking feeling in Conan's stomach. Kazuha kept watching him now. He smiled, "You must really love Heiji-niichan, Kazuha-neechan!" Conan said without realizing it. They both stared him in shock. He started to giggle, "After all you did call him your-"

"Isn't it your bedtime, Conan-kun?"

Conan giggled and he ran off to the lab and Ai. They wouldn't hear Ai chiding him for needing 12 hours of sleep.

"Well, I suppose, you're staying in the guest room then?" Kazuha asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hm?" Heiji caught himself from her trap, "I'm gonna go and watch that other Heiji-" Kazuha cut him off by grabbing his hand, "Oi, oi." He looked away with a red face.

"What do you think you're doing to my kazuha!" Went off in the background. Both were caught with a beet red faces. It repeated it's self.

"What do you think-" Kazuha started to mutter.

Heiji put a hand on Kazuha's cheek. Their eyes met. Their faces fell a little bit closer together, and Heiji leaned in, "I think I like you, Kazuha."

She pulled him even closer.

"Heiji- Ai left her phon-" Conan took a step back, "Oh," And he slowly walked down the stairs. "Tsk. Now, I'll have to burn the outfit." He muttered.

Kuroba was standing in the hallway, "Can I go home yet, Haibara? I mean, Snake-"

"No. Stay there."

Kuroba sighed. He looked at Conan, "I think i'll be here all night to make her happy. I know I'm already borrowing your - "

"What are you talking about onii-san? Obviously those are far too big for me!"

Kuroba stared at Conan, "Fine. Be that way. I'll go find a blanket-" He headed towards the stairs.

"I wouldn't go that way if I were you," Conan warned.

"Eh? Why?"

"Heiji is up there with his girlfriend, Kid."

"Oh. Yeah. I think, I'd rather stay down here."

Ai stayed up all night despite chiding Conan about the same. They were the missing pieces in her attempt for a cure. She finished it in 12 hours. She knocked on Conan's door with the single pill she'd made in hand. Conan stared at it, "Where's the second one?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" Ai asked.

"I always thought-"

"And what would the point in that be?" She asked. She held the pill out closer to him, "Or do you want me to throw this down the sink-" Conan took it delicately from her hands, "I'm going to go and get a cup of water." He said slipping pass her. She saw inside the room. He had an outfit laided out for Kudo to wear. She smiled.

Ran was lucky.

After the phone call. And the lack of a second adventure Shinichi found himself pacing in his room. Kazuha and Heiji had left for breakfast before he woke up. _Not like they slept anyways._ And, he was left figuring out how to give Ran her well earned space while still letting her be the first to know.

He smiled, and he walked back over to his closet. He grabbed his school uniform. His hand went to his street clothes, but today was a school day. He grabbed it. He'd have to change quickly.

And so, Shinichi Kudo was standing outside of the detective agency with a handful of pebbles in one hand and his phone in the other. He rang Ran's phone, and let it ring a couple of times before hanging up. Then he started to slowly throw pebbles at the window. _One… Two…_ He stood there waiting for one of them to open.

And Mori did not disappoint.

"KUDO-"

"OHAIO OJISAN!" Kudo shouted back, "Is Ran in?"

"And why would you care? Egh-"

"Of course I am, Kudo," Ran appeared in the window, "Why are you here?"

"Just wanted to let you know I finally finished all those cases that kept me away! I won't be able to walk with you to school today - have to show up early to pick up all my missed homework. I'll be lucky if I don't have to repeat a grade."

Ran smirked, "I think you'll do just if if you have to repeat a grade."

Shinichi winked, "I suppose it wouldn't be the first time! Anyways -I just wanted to see - To let you know."

Ran smiled. It was a blinding smile with honesty, "I'll see you at school, my Rose." Her last two words were thick with her japanese accent but clearly english. Shinichi's face was crimson like the best roses.

"Well then." Shinichi muttered, "I - I guess I'll see you in class then?"

Ran shrugged, "Kazuha is in town."

"So is Hattori."

"I heard about last night."

"Oh? Which part?"

Ran put a finger to her chin, "Hm? Maybe I should put it this way for the detective nerd - Shinichi Kudo - Would you like to go on a double date with Kazuha and Hattori?"

Shinichi stared at Ran, "Are you being serious, Ran- ne- Ran?"

Ran left the window for a moment.

"Oi! Yoko-chan gave me -!" A rose fell from the window, and Ran reappeared. Shinichi picked it up.

"Ran-chan…" He whispered staring up at her.

"Now," Ran said clearly, "Go get that homework, Detective Otaku. I decided, We have plenty to catch up on there's no time wasting time do so. It's the best way, don't you think?"

Kudo smiled. He hoped she couldn't see the tears that were threatening to contort his smiling face.

"If you start crying, Kudo, then so will I!" She started to pull back from the window, and Shinichi smiled at her, a barely noticed smile, a resting face of peace. And, She smiled back with the same one.

It was a long road ahead - and they knew it.

But every road is paved with a thousand steps, and they'd just taken their first.


End file.
